After the Last Tear: Rising from the Ashes of a Broken Marriage By Cassila K

Chapter 52

Cooking was never my forte. My culinary repertoire consisted of exactly one dish: carbonara. Simple enough to be foolproof - or so I'd always thought.

Yet today, each attempt was an abject failure. Overcooked pasta, curdled sauce - as if the kitchen itself was rejecting my efforts.

I ate each failed attempt myself.

The clock ticked mercilessly as I mentally counted down.

I imagined Luke would arrive, we'd have his birthday dinner, and then I'd vanish from his life. Like waiting for an execution.

But he never showed.

Instead, came a phone call dripping with transparent deceit. "Mandy cut her finger while cooking," he said with exaggerated concern, "had to take her to the ER. Don't wait up."

The casual cruelty of his lies was almost comical in its absurdity.

account revealed the truth: a fresh post showing them celebrating, wrapped around each other before an elaborate

Are you there?" Luke's impatient voice cut

don't worry about it." Another lie to

dumped the carbonara into the trash - a fitting metaphor for

it. I was just another completed chapter in Luke's story. Fine. I'd release him

through the hallway, marking

late-night messages, intimate photos blatant

of their affair. Then posted it where

leaving, they wouldn't get to rewrite this

I sent one final text: "Happy

didn't formally

never truly been his girlfriend - just

Mandy. Content belong.net

abortions? Mere inconveniences he'd brushed

my phone, it exploded with notifications, his name flashing like an